This savory turnip cake (sometimes called radish) lo bak go is a very traditional dish often served at dim sum houses, and when I was a kid, it always showed up on the table on Chinese New Year’s Day. As a result, it’s been etched in my mind as a wonderfully delicious tradition.
Having sampled versions of turnip cake (or lo bak go, as it’s known in Cantonese) at many dim sum restaurants over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that they can’t be compared to our homemade recipe. The restaurants definitely skimp on the filling ingredients, including the star of the dish, the Chinese turnip. Most of what you get is rice flour and starch.
To be fair, I do have to say that adding fewer filling ingredients makes the restaurant versions much smoother–almost like pudding, if you like that consistency. Also, the Chinese turnip is a very pungent vegetable that definitely falls into the love it or hate it category. For better or worse, everyone in the house will know when you’re cooking Chinese turnip!
The Chinese turnip, or lo bak, is a long, white vegetable with a green top. I’ve always been confused by this, but I believe they’re interchangeable with Japanese daikon radishes (they could very well be the same vegetable!). When choosing your turnip/radish, make sure they’re heavy. This means they have a high water content, which is an indication that they haven’t been sitting around too long. A good sized one is generally about 20 ounces, which is what this recipe calls for.
Read more about this Chinese radish or turnip and others on our Asian Beans, Mushrooms and Root Vegetables ingredients page.
My sister Ginny is an expert at carrying on the family turnip cake tradition, and this recipe is adapted from the version she makes. She emphasizes that you should be able to clearly see and taste the turnip, and I wholeheartedly agree with her stance. You can certainly make adjustments to the recipe…including the amount of sausage, turnip, mushrooms and scallion you add. You can also easily make this a vegetarian/vegan dish by eliminating the shrimp and sausage, and substituting a different dipping sauce for the oyster sauce.
If you like this classic Chinese Radish Lo Bak Go, then you must try our Taro Cake – Wu Tou Go or our Carrot Rice Cake Luo Bo Gao recipes!
On with the recipe! You’ll need:
- 1 Chinese turnip/daikon radish (about 20 oz.), grated
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, washed, soaked and chopped
- 3-5 dried Chinese black mushrooms, washed, soaked, and chopped
- 1 Chinese sausage, diced
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1 1/4 cup rice flour 130g
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- white pepper, to taste
- Oyster sauce for dipping (optional)
Grate the turnip. We just used the largest holes on a box grater.
Add grated turnip and 1 cup water to a wok or large pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the turnip does not brown. The turnip will produce liquid, some of which will evaporate. You will have liquid left in the pan with the radish but don’t worry about measuring it. Scoop the cooked turnip into a large mixing bowl to cool. Next, pour the remaining liquid into a measuring cup and fill the rest with water until you have 1 cup of liquid and pour it back in with the cooked turnip.
Heat your pan over medium heat and add a two tablespoons oil. Add the dried shrimp, mushrooms, and sausage and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped scallion and remove from the heat to cool.
Add rice flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, and white pepper to the mixing bowl with the radish and cooking liquid.
Mix well until the dry ingredients are well-incorporated.
Add in the cooked shrimp, mushrooms and sausage, and be sure to scrape the oil from the pan into the batter. Mix well and let sit for about 15 minutes.
Give the batter a final stir and pour it into a well-oiled loaf pan. Place the pan into a steamer with plenty of water and steam over medium-high heat for 50 minutes.
Remove the pan from the steamer and let your turnip cake set for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, loosen the sides with a spatula and turn it out onto a cutting board. It should come out quite easily.
Use a sharp knife dipped in water to slice ½-inch thick pieces. I know people who’d enjoy it just like that, but most people pan-fry them first. Add a couple tablespoons oil to a non-stick or seasoned cast iron pan over medium-low heat. Fry the cakes on both sides until golden and crispy. Serve with oyster sauce!
Tip: You can also make this turnip cake in advance, refrigerate it in the loaf pan, and slice/fry later. If you’ve refrigerated turnip cakes that you’ve already fried, the best way to reheat them is in a pan. When reheating, heat the pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Place the cakes in the pan, immediately add a couple tablespoons of water, and cover. Remove the cover when the water has evaporated, flip, and brown the other side.
Serve with hot chili oil or oyster sauce on the side.
- 1 Chinese turnip/daikon radish (about 20 oz.), grated
- 1 to 1½ cups water
- oil
- 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, washed, soaked and chopped
- 3-5 dried Chinese black mushrooms, washed, soaked, and chopped
- 1 Chinese sausage, diced
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1¼ cups rice flour (130 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- white pepper, to taste
- Oyster sauce for dipping (optional)
- Add grated turnip and 1 cup water to a wok or large pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the turnip does not brown. The turnip will produce liquid, some of which will evaporate. You will have liquid left in the pan with the radish but don't worry about measuring it. Scoop the cooked turnip into a large mixing bowl to cool. Next pour the remaining liquid into a measuring cup and fill the rest with water until you have 1 cup of liquid and pour it back in with the cooked turnip.
- Heat your pan over medium heat and add a couple tablespoons oil. Add the shrimp, mushrooms, and sausage and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped scallion and remove from the heat to cool.
- Add rice flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, and white pepper to the mixing bowl with the radish and cooking liquid. Mix well until the dry ingredients are well-incorporated. Add in the cooked shrimp, mushrooms and sausage, and be sure to scrape the oil from the pan into the batter. Mix well and let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Give the batter a final stir and pour it into a well-oiled loaf pan. Place the pan into a steamer with plenty of water and steam over medium-high heat for 50 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the steamer and let your turnip cake set for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, loosen the sides with a spatula and turn it out onto a cutting board. It should come out quite easily.
- Use a sharp knife dipped in water to slice ½-inch thick pieces. I know people who'd enjoy it just like that, but most people pan-fry them first. Add a couple tablespoons oil to a non-stick or seasoned cast iron pan over medium-low heat. Fry the cakes on both sides until golden and crispy. Serve with oyster sauce!
- Tip: You can also make this cake in advance, refrigerate it in the loaf pan, and slice/fry later. If you've refrigerated turnip cakes that you've already fried, the best way to reheat them is in the pan.
- When reheating, heat the pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Place the cakes in the pan, immediately add a couple tablespoons of water, and cover. Remove the cover when the water has evaporated, flip, and brown the other side.
Mary Lee says
Is the rice flour measurement correct? 130gm or 11/4 cup? Please verify, thanks.
Irene says
Hi Bill, thanks for the recipe. I have a question – is there a reason why you need to let the batter sit for 15 mins before steaming. Thanks
Bill says
Hi Irene, I always like the let any batter sit for 15 minutes after combining wet and dry ingredients so they have a chance to incorporate.
Irene says
Thanks Bill, I understand now.
Carolyn Sloboda says
Thank you for your detailed list of ingredients, especially what you do with the liquid that is in the cooked turnip. I was always puzzled about the liquid from the cooked turnip and the water you were to add to the mixture. It really helped me when it was the total of combined liquid. You are right about the restaurant turnip cake being all flour. Easy to make with a food processor.
Bill says
You’re welcome Carolyn!
Joc says
This is amazing! I’ve only had this treat at dim sum, so I’m a bit apprehensive about how much of this I am going to devour given the power to make my own 😄
Bill says
Hi Joc, that’s true because this recipe is loaded with more fillings than dim sum! But go ahead and live a little. ;-)
Evans says
What are the dimensions of the loaf pan you used? Did it fit in a standard size steamer, or did you have to steam it in the oven in a Bain Marie?
Judy says
Hi Evans, try steaming it in a wok with water and a steaming rack (or a pan) to elevate your loaf pan. You will need a good amount of water, so make sure whatever you use is high enough. You can also add boiling water during the steaming process, as the water boils off quickly during the steaming. Hope this helps!
Evans says
Yes thanks! I don’t have a wok but I can jerry rig something to make it work. And does a Pyrex loaf pan work better than metal?
Judy says
Hi Evans, a Pyrex pan or metal pan works the same.
Kary Farris says
I’m allergic to shellfish, can you recommend a substitute for the dried shrimp? Would dried scallops be a good substitute?
Bill says
Hi Kary, dried scallops are definitely a good substitute as long as you aren’t allergic to them ;-)
Kary Farris says
I couldn’t find any dried scallops but used some sausages that had duck liver in it and it tasted just like the ones at dim sum! This is an excellent recipe!
Bill says
Thanks Kary and glad you enjoyed it!
Sylvie says
Can I use tapioca starch instead of cornstarch?
Bill says
Hi Sylvie, Yes, tapioca starch will work!
Sylvie Chan says
Thank you Bill, we will try to make it this Saturday. Can’t wait. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Jane says
Just made this last night for my kiddos, and it turned out yummy! My lo bak rendered quite a bit of water, so I actually squeezed out quite a bit to avoid waterlogging my cake, then saved the water and the mushroom water for cooking. Boiled it on the lowest setting, and let it cool on the countertop overnight. This morning had it for breakfast, and the kids gave a thumbs up! I would recommend using smaller loaf tray, even mini loafs (great for gift giving) since mine is rather long so was long but lost its depth of height. Taller is better!
Bill says
Hi Jane, good that you saved that lo bak juice because it is packed with flavor!